Good News & Bad News, page-46715

Super complex issue. Chinese bought into Manano lithium mine in the heart of the DRC. Needed to build a 2000km road/rail link through swamps and hostile territory to a proposed port on the West coast of Africa. They "negotiated" with Government politicians to make it happen and agreed to employ locals. In one instance 200 locals turned up to be issued with PPE (personal protective equipment), initiation and training. Next day a different 200 locals turned up without PPE or training. The Chinese taught locals to operate earth moving machinery. Overnight the locals returned and siphoned diesel from the machinery. So the Chinese built armed compounds and brought in their own labour. On top of this they handled tribal unrest, ibola and HIV. Pretty gutsy effort. China's Belt-and-Road initiative involves China "lending" to communities to develop infrastructure. When the countries e.g. Srilanka, cannot service their loans China takes possession.